Car-coupling.



I. WlL-LESUN.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION men APR-18.1913. RENEWED AUG. 10, l9I6- v Patented. Oct. 1?, 1916,

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. WILLISON.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I8. 1913. RENEWED Aue. 10.1916.

i. WILLISON.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR-18,1913. RENEWED'AUG. 10.1916.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- a n n F I 1 ,J g

J. WILL|S0N4 CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1913. RENEWED A'UG. 10,1916.

1 mfififin Patented Oct. 17,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. WILLISON.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR-18.1913- RENEWED .AUG.

Patented Oct. 17,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WILLISON, OF DERBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed April 18, 1913, Serial No. 761,890. Renewed August 10, 1916. Serial No. 114,292.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN WILLISON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Derby, county of Derby, England, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a plan of two car couplers embodying my invention and engaging each other in locked position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a single 'coupler-head; Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, but with the locking block removed Fig. 6 is a section on lines VI-VI of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines one of the locking blocks retracted into unlocking position; Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the coupler-heads interengaged but with one of the locking blocks retracted; Fig. 8 shows thelater'al displacement of the coupler-head upon the application of a pulling stress to the arrangement of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 shows one way in which the coupler-heads may approach each other in buffing,- and Fig. 10 shows other positions in fulland in dotted lines; Fig. 11 shows the manner in which the locking blocks are displaced rearwardly by engagement with each other as the coupler-heads interlock, and Fig. 12 is a section on lines XIIXII of Fig. 11.

My invention relates to automatic couplers and provides a coupler of great strength and of simple construction, in which the stresses of bufling and draft are transmitted directly from one. coupler-head to another, without the interposition of movable'parts, such as knuckles, and in which the locking mechanism is designed primarily to keep the opposing coupler in interlocked position andnot for the transmission of bufling and draft stresses. To this end I provide a coupler having two main parts, a couplerhead having rigid jaws and a gravity-actuated lock, and the particular features of construction and operation which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, the coupler A has a head 2 and a shank 3, vertically pivoted at 4 to the car framing so as to provide sufiicient lateral angling, to permit the engagement or disengagement of interlocking projections on opposing couplers, which is a necessary incident to coupling and uncoupling with couplers of my improved type.

The coupler-head 2 has a pair of horns or jaws '5 and 6 (to which I shall hereinafter refer as the right and left jaws re-v spectively), which have vertically disposed bufiing and pulling faces, to permit couplers of varying heights to intercouple. The front faces 7, 8 of the jaws 5 and 6 are inclined outwardly and forwardly in reverse directions, and the bufling face 9, intermediate the two jaws, is of the same inclination as the surface 8 of the left jaw 6. The

inner end of the surface 7 terminates in a projecting tongue 10, the front and rear surfaces (the front surface being the surface 7) of which converge inwardly and toward a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. On the outer face of the left jaw 6 is formed a verticallydisposed groove 11, shaped to receive the tongue 10 of an opposing coupler and having similarly arranged inwardly converging faces. The buffing faces of the coupler are comprised of the parallel surfaces 7 and 11, and of the parallel surfaces 8 and 9, of

whichthe surfaces 7 and 11 are oppositely disposed to the surfaces 8 and 9. The pulling surfaces 10 and 11* are parallel to each other and to the bufling faces 8 and 9, so that when the couplers come together they will move transversely of each other on co1' responding buffing surfaces 8 and 9 so as to bring the pulling surface 10 on one jaw of one coupler into contact with the pulling surface 11 on the opposing jaw of the other coupler.

The locking mechanism is constructed as follows: The coupler-head 2 has a recess 12 ingly inclined surfaces 15 and 16 formed on the coupler-head. The block B is preferably secured'in the couple'rihead by means of a. headed pin 17 which extends through the slots 18 in side walls of the rear of thecoupler-head. The slots 18 are arranged at the same angles of inclination as are the surfaces 15 and 16. The pin 17 is held from accidental loss or removal by a washer 19 and the cotter 19*. The forward faceof the block B has a scarfed or stepped portion 20, which is adapted to overlap a correspondingly stepped portion of the lock of an opposing coupler. The forward faces of the lock are preferably inclined forwardly on the same angle as the surface 8 of the left jaw. T o prevent rearward and upward creeping of the lock the face 21 of the portion 20, whichoverlaps a similar face of an opposing coupler, is beveled or dovetailed, so that while there is sufiicient room for engagement and disengagement of the lock, in coupling and uncoupling, as long as the couplers are under draft these beveled faces 21 will be held tightly against each other, and can only be freed from each other when the draft strains are relieved and one of the locks has been lifted by the actuating mechanism. Hence creeping, with resulting accidental uncoupling, vwill thus be prevented. The lock actuating mechanism may be comprised of a chain or lever extending through the opening 22 and connected to an eye 23 on the tail 14 of the lock.

To permit coupling with cars equipped with couplers of other types or with the ordinary draw-hook coupling, I provide a chain 24, the end link of which may he slipped over the tail 14 of the lock B before the lock is placed in position in the couplerhead, and hung from the recess 25 thereon.

The operationof my improved coupler is. as follows: When the couplers come together the bufling surface 8 of the left jaw 6 of one coupler will strike the opposing coupler either on the surface 7 of the right jaw 5 or on the intermediate surface 9, or on the surface 8 of the left jaw 6, the particu-- lar position of opposing coupler-heads depending on whether the coupling takes place on a curve or whether previous uncouplings have thrown the heads out of alinement. As is shown in Fig. 8, the-surface 8 of the left jaw 6 has come into contact with the intermediate bufiing surface 9, and the lock B of the right-hand coupler has been driven rearwardly by such action. Under a further buffing movement the surface 8 will slide transversely of the line of draft along the face 9,,until the tongues 10 come into position-in the grooves 11. The lock B of the right-hand coupler will then drop down into lowermost or looking position, with its portion 20 overlapping the portion 20 of the lock of the left-hand coupler. As the couplers come together in the manner shown in Fig. 9, the buffing faces 8 will strike each other and will slide transversely upon each other, until they strike the forward faces of the locks B and drive them rearwardly and upwardly in the recesses 12 out of the path of the faces 8, which will then move forwardly, strike the faces 9 and bring the tongues 10 and grooves 11 into interlocking engagement. The locks will then drop from raised position into lowermost or looking position, in which the portions 20 will overlap, as is shown in Fig. 1.

In dotted lines in Fig. 10 the couplers are shown with the points of theleft jaws 6 engaging the faces 7 of the right jaws 5, and the buffing movement will bring the heads into position shown in the full lines, in which the forward faces of the locks are engaging, and a further bufiing movement will bring the parts into position shown in Fig. 11, in which the jaw 6 bears against the bufling face 9 and the locks have driven each other rearwardly in the recesses 12. A further bufling movement causes the jaws to move transversely into interlocked position, and the locks will then drop into the position shown in Fig. 1.

In uncoupling, either lock may be retracted, and when raised and moved rearwardly the distance permitted by the pin 17 operating in the slots 18, the portion 20 will disengage from the corresponding portion 20 of the lock of the opposing coupler, as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, in which the lock of the right-hand coupler has been raised. With the locks in this position the coupler-heads are ready to be drawn apart, during which disengaging action they will rotate about the pivots 4:, to permit the tongues 10 to be freed from the grooves 11,

as is shown in F ig. 8.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the embodiment of my invention which I have shown, and described herein without departing from my invention, since What I claim is:

1. A car coupler comprising. a coupler head having oppositely-extending jaws integral therewith, a longitudinally-disposed recess in the coupler head, and a gravityactuated locking block slidable longitudinallyand vertically in' said recess, the said block having a forward portion adapted to abut against the corresponding portion of the lock of an opposing coupler.

2. A car coupler comprising a coupler head having oppositely-extending aws integral therewith, a recess in the central longitudinal plane of the coupler head, and a ward and back movement in said recess, and having its forward portion. adapted to overgravity-actuated locking block having a for Y lap a corresponding portion of the lock .of an opposing coupler, said lock being adapted to slide bodily rearvvardly in said recess to retract it from overlapping position.

3. A car coupler having a recess extending longitudinally of the coupler head and through the front face thereof, and a gravity-actuated locking block movable longitudinally in said recess, and having its forward portion adapted to overlap and wedge against a corresponding forward portion on the lock of an opposing coupler, to cause said locks to restrain each other from longitudinal movement when in contact.

4. A car coupler comprising a coupler head having oppositely-extending jaws integral therewith and adapted to interlock with correspondingly-shaped jaws of an opposing coupler, said coupler head having a vertically-disposed recess extending longitudinally of the coupler'head and through the front face thereof, rearwardly-inclined surfaces therein, and a lock positioned in said recess, having its front faces exposed to the bufling action of an opposing coupler and havingits rear faces inclined and cooperating with the surfaces in the recess, whereby the lock is raised to unlocking position by a rearward and upward movement.

5. A car coupler comprising a coupler head having oppositely-extending jaws integral therewith and adapted to lnterlock with correspondingly-shaped jaws of an opposing coupler, said coupler head having a vertically-disposed recess in the central longitudinal plane of the coupler head, a gravityactuated locking block operating in said recess and having a rearwardly-extending tail, and means connected with the tail for normally holding the lock in the coupler head.

6. A car coupler having a vertically and horizontally disposed recess in the couplerhead, a lock operating in said recess and having an inclined bearing on the top and bottom walls of'the coupler-head, the said lock having a rearwardly-extending portion, guiding arms connected to said portion and cooperating with slots in the coupler-head, the said slots being inclined at the same angle as the hearings on the walls of the coupler-head.

7 A car coupler adapted to have a free movement laterally and having a plurality of rigid jaws adapted to interengage with the corresponding jaws of an opposing coupler by a lateral movement 1n a horizontal plane, and a gravity-actuated lock mounted to have a bodily motion of translatlon in an inclined plane, said lock, having, when 111 locked position, a bearing on one side against the coupler head and on the other side a bearing against the lock of an opposing coupler.

a coupler-head, and a lock, the coupler-head having a plurality of rigid j aws having vertically-disposed buffing and pulling surfaces, the front buffing faces of one jaw being arranged to diverge outwardly and forwardly from the. front bufling faces of the other jaw, and an intermediate bufling surface, having the same inclination as one of the said front bufling faces, and a vertically movable lock having its forward face inclined at the same angle as the intermediate buffingsurface.

9. In a car coupler'of the vertical plane type, a coupler-head having a pair of rigid arms, each arm being adapted to interengage with an arm of the opposing coupler by a transverse movement, and a vertically movable locking block adapted to engage an oppositely movable locking block for locking the arms of the opposing couplers in interengaged position.

10. An automatic coupler of the vertical plane type, comprising a coupler head having rigid projections adapted to interlock with corresponding projections upon a coupler of the same type by a relative lateral movement of said couplers, and a lock movable by gravity in a vertical plane and adapted to overlap and abut laterally against the lock of a corresponding coupler and thereby restrain said couplers from relative lateral movement when in interlocking position.

11. In a car coupler, a coupler head having a vertically and longitudinally disposed recess therein, and a vertically and longitudinally movable lock mounted in said recess, capable of assuming a lower projected position and an upper retracted position, said lock, when in projected lower position, overlapping a corresponding locking block in an opposing coupler head, for holding the couplers in interlocked position.

12. A car coupler having a vertically-dis- I posed recess extending longitudinally of the head, an incline in said recess, and a lock positioned in said recess and slidable longitudinally upon said incline to unlocked position, said lock having a forward portion adapted to contact with the corresponding portion of the lock of an interlocked coupler when in locked position.

13. A car coupler of the vertical plane type having a longitudinally-disposcd recess in the coupler head, and a gravity-actuated locking block operating in said recess and having a fore-and-aft translational movement in a vertical plane, said locking block being formed with an open notch or recess forming a hook portion adapted to receive a chain link.

14. A car coupler comprising a coupler head having oppositely-extending jaws integral therewith, a vertically and horizontally fig. 1,201,665.

extending recess in its head, a lock having a name to this specification in the presence of combined vertical and horizontal bodily two subscribing Witnesses.

movement in said recess and having a forward portion adapted to engage the lock of an opposing coupler, and means for limiting the movement of said lock in its recess.

In testimony whereof I have signed m'y JOHN VVILLISON.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH LIILLARD, VALTER J. SKERTEN. 

